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Tortellini alla Panna

Serves 4 to 6 Entree pasta, Pasta & Rice

Tortellini alla Panna

Tortellini alla Panna hails from the culinary heartland of Emilia-Romagna, where simplicity and quality reign supreme. This dish embodies the region's love for rich, comforting flavors, often enjoyed as a luxurious yet straightforward meal at home. It's a recipe passed down through generations, capturing the essence of Italian family cooking without the fuss of formal dining.

The creamy embrace of heavy cream and butter coats each piece of tortellini, creating a luscious texture that melts in your mouth. The prosciutto cotto adds a delicate saltiness, perfectly balanced by the nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano and a hint of nutmeg. This dish is best served fresh from the pan, warm and inviting, a true testament to the region's culinary prowess.

Ingredients

  • 500 gfresh cheese tortellini
  • 200 mlheavy cream
  • 60 gParmigiano-Reggiano — grated
  • 40 gprosciutto cotto — diced
  • 2 tbspunsalted butter
  • 1 pinchfreshly grated nutmeg
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of fine sea salt to the water, enough to make it taste like the sea. Add 500 g fresh cheese tortellini to the boiling water and cook until they are al dente. The tortellini should be tender but still firm to the bite. Reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining the tortellini.
  2. In a wide, non-stick pan, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, add 40 g of finely chopped prosciutto cotto. Sauté the prosciutto gently until it becomes slightly crispy and releases its aroma, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Reduce the heat to low and pour 200 ml heavy cream into the pan with the prosciutto. Stir gently to combine, allowing the cream to warm through and slightly thicken. Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, stirring it into the sauce to enhance its aroma and depth.
  4. Add the cooked tortellini to the pan, tossing them gently in the cream sauce to coat each piece thoroughly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it, ensuring a silky consistency.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately sprinkle 60 g of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the tortellini. Toss everything together until the cheese melts and integrates into the sauce, creating a creamy, cohesive coating. Taste and adjust seasoning with fine sea salt if necessary.
  6. Serve the Tortellini alla Panna immediately while hot, ensuring each portion is generously coated in the creamy sauce. Enjoy this comforting dish as it is traditionally enjoyed in Emilia-Romagna, with simplicity and satisfaction.
Cover of Authentic Italian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Italian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Italian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Italian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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